2012

Sorry, I have been lazy in the blogging department,

but I have been spending time with my peeps

enjoying the holidays.

I'll probably post more on that later.

Tonight, I realized as I

cleaned up the kitchen for what was probably

the 1000th time this year,

refereed the last of 2012's sibling wars,

put pajamas on children who are quickly outgrowing them,

placed children in time-out in what mostly feels like a futile parenting effort,

and

was deafened by giggles and squeals

that

2012 was FULL of great memories and blessings

that, luckily, heavily out weigh the bad.

My original Top 10 list for 2012, has quickly dwindled to this

simple reflection.

2012 is the year when we became a Forever Family in our new home.

We are forever grateful.

I hope that 2013 is filled with fun, family, friends,

and good health for each of you.

Merry Christmas!

Yesterday, our family lit the Advent candles and did 

a reading at church.

Not at our normal 11 am service, but at 9:30.

This shouldn't be a big deal because we are all up and ready by that time

on a weekday but for some reason, 

it is so much harder on the weekend.  

The good news is 

I actually drank my coffee and dyed my hair,

we all got dressed and had good hair going on,

snapped not one, not two, but three good pictures of the kids

and

we were actually early!!

That my friends, is a Christmas miracle around these parts!

So from our family to yours,

we wish you a very Merry Christmas!!

The 1st "Break Up"

If you didn't get time to read about 

my Josie and her 5 year old love life, 

check it out HERE.

The Hubs followed up with her the other night by asking,

"So Josie, how is it going with those boys?"

Josie replied, 

"Oh, I broke up with them.  I told them 

I was a mermaid 

and my dad wouldn't let me date humans."

What in the world??

That's all I have time for today.

Work, kids, school parties, and holiday prep (aka: a blessed life)

seem to have exhausted this little lady a bit.

I hope that you all have a great weekend.

Enjoy yourself.

Here's some pictures from Josie's first Christmas...
Just to add some cuteness.

New Hair Pictures

Somedays I am glad that my kids after afternoon preschool
and kindergarten so that we can work on this...

Julia's hair is a beast to detangle but it holds these styles so well.

Isn't she a cutie!

Maryn wouldn't pose well for me to get a picture of all of the twists that went up into the puff.

Josie looks a little bit like Cindy Loo Who, doesn't she?

It eventually relaxed, but I had to take a picture.

After all of that work, I think that my dirty hair was thrown up into a bun.
Ain't that a mom's life?

Back to School after Tragic Events

Today, my kids headed back to school just like most of yours did.

There, of course, were kisses and hugs.

 More than anything, I am just sad for all of those moms in Newtown, and elsewhere,

who didn't get to do that this morning.

 

I am not worried about their safety, any more than I usually am.

I know that rare and horrific things sometimes happen

and I believe that all that can be done to prevent it has been done.

I believe that they are in good hands.

I believe that there is more good in the world than evil.

I pray for my children's safety everyday when they are with or without me.

 

After sending them off to school,

I sat down to write my Monday blog post, and everything seemed so  trivial.

 

I have read so many comments and posts about the

tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary.

I am sad and have been praying for all of those who are affected.

I have also been reminded of how blessed I am.

 

Instead of the post I had planned,

I decided to write a quick note to each of my children's teachers.

A little note of thanks to them for choosing to invest their life in kids.

 

I can't help but think, that it may have been

difficult for them to return to school too.

 

So to all of the good and kind people out there that we trust our children with,

thank you so much for loving them when we aren't with them.

Facebook Pet Peeve

It shouldn't bother me but it does.

It goes something like this...

IF YOU LOVE GOD,

PLEASE "LIKE" or "SHARE

IF YOU DON'T JUST

IGNORE

I am pretty sure that this is NOT how it works.

Nuff said.

Have a great day and please forgive my rant.

My apologies if my silly puns are your newest pet peeve because,

Q: What's the only things about the "Golden Years" that are golden?

A: Your urine and your teeth!
 

(Thank you to the nice lady at work who said I could share this one.)

Happy Friday!

The "SICK KID" Chair

I always tell people that with the number of kids

we have, it is technically

a self-sustaining-cesspool!

When one of ours get sick, it can be hard to isolate them so we 

have been using this trick for a while.

The "sick kid" chair, which is more 

commonly known as the "barf beanbag" but that didn't 

sound appropriate as a post title.

This wacky things works for us, so I thought that I'd pass it on.

First, you need to get your hands on a vinyl bean bag chair like ours.

(Walmart has them now for $15 in solid colors.)

Then you need to get a crib sheet or two.

Take the crib sheet and place it over the bean bag chair.  The elastic helps

it stay into place.

I have also been known to thrown down some beach towels or a blanket  first so that 

the carpet is protected.

Since it is on the floor, I can easily put a tray next to them with their drink, tissues, and the remote of course.

Add one sick kid and put them in whatever room you want.

 If they have croup or trouble breathing, you can prop 

them much easier than on a bed.

(Maryn is not sick but really wanted to model for me. Josie tried to look pitiful.)

I have used this in the bathroom while we ran a really hot shower to produce

steam when croup strikes.  

Another tip that our doctors have taught us, is to go outside

in the cold or place them with their face in the freezer.  

We do one of these right away when we hear that seal-like cough and it usually works.

The best part about all of this is, when your child is better

you just throw the sheet in the wash and 

wipe down the bean bag chair with disinfectant!

It is then ready for the next victim.

I love flu season don't you.

 Motherhood Support and Take 10 With Tricia

both have posts about getting and staying healthy this flu season.

Anybody else have some useful tips??

Don't keep them to yourself!

Prasco: Free Fun

Every year, Prasco puts on a free Christmas event.

This year we could only be there for about an hour

so we didn't get to have a free picture with Santa,

enjoy the free Candy Shop and goodies,

or go ice skating (also free),

but our kids loved making crafts, taking pictures with Mrs. Claus,

listening to stories,

 and 

writing letters to Santa.

Keep an eye out for tons of free family events that Prasco puts on

at their awesome baseball fields in the spring.

We hope to make it to a few.

**Hey, I finally started a Facebook page.**
Care to show a girl some "LIKE" and maybe share it with a friend or two who might enjoy??
I'd really appreciate it.
Head on over by clicking HERE.
Thanks my friends.


 

Paperwork Overload

I get five newsletters a week, two lunch menus, snack schedules,

family project paperwork, game and practice schedules, 

artwork to display...

You get the point.

I am in paperwork overload.

I found something to help.

I decided to hang a clipboard for each child in the house (and one for me). 

I saw people doing this on Pinterest but I didn't follow a tutorial.

I just dove right it working at football practice and finished it up at home.

These now hang right inside the garage door where the kids come in.

They can reach it too.

Here's what I used...

Command hooks

Basic clipboard ($1.99 on sale at Staples), with hole at the top to hang it

$5 pack of coordinating scrapbook paper

Scotch tape, clear glue, scissors

clear Contact paper

1) Trace and cut paper to size of clipboard and tape/glue it into place

2) Decorate by cutting out an initial or shape of a complimentary color...go crazy.

3) Cut contact paper to about 1-1.5 inches larger than clipboard

4) Carefully place clipboard onto contact paper and wrap excess over the edge to the back

5) Hang anywhere your Command hooks will hold.

I use these clipboard to hold short term paperwork or papers that need to

be filed later into a child's larger holder.

This currently consists of very inexpensive cardboard magazine holders (2 for $3 at Ikea)

that have the child's name on the outside.

Artwork and keepsakes are kept in a Rubbermaid container for each child.

Here are some pictures of the finished project.

NOTE: Just because I have a system, doesn't mean that I always keep up on it.

I have been known to lose misplace a few times in my lifetime.

Please tell me I'm not the only one here...

and share your paperwork overload secrets.

One Proud Mama

Seriously, something is wrong with my kids.

I claim NO responsibility!

In just the last few days, this is how each one embraced their inner weirdo.
I am one proud mama...not.

Enjoy...and DO NOT judge me.

 

LEAH

Leah was home alone for just a bit, when she wasn't feeling well earlier in the day.

My phone rang and she meekly said,

"Mom, my stomach hurts again.  Is there some sort of remedy to relieve this?"

What 10 year old speaks this way, seriously?

Love it.

 

PORTER

I could tell something was wrong when he got off the bus.

I asked him if he felt bad...no.

So I asked him if he got in trouble...yes.

This is what he wrote in his planner as an explanation of his behavior...

It reads, "I said butts more than once when I was supposed to be working."

I kept a straight face, barely.

Come to find out, the little girl next to him did not appreciate the opening lyric to "Baby Got Back",

which I swear we do not let him listen to.

He only knows the 1st lyric!

P.S. This song is my absolute favorite song for karaoke purposes only. 

 

JOSIE

You might remember our kids joking about Michele Obama taking away the churros at school

during my election time post...if not, check it out HERE.

 

Well, Josie was looking at the Cheerios box admiring all of the varieties.

She then states, "I really hope Michele Obama doesn't take away all of my Cheerios too."

 

JULIA

Porter ran up the steps, and with a serious look on his face he tattled,

"Mom, look what Julia did to this doll!"

Yes, that is a Ken doll with his head pulled off,

pants down,

and a comb up his butt!

 

I don't even know what to say about this one.

It is wrong, oh so wrong.

 

MARYN

The little girls and I were going through the house to round up as many

toys and unwanted items that we could to donate during this Advent season.

I asked Maryn to put the stuffed animals that she wanted to keep

 in the bassinet in her room, while I put away something in my room.

I came back to this...

If you look closely, she is wrapping a pair of pants around the bed saying,

"I'm folding them."

 

PLEASE, tell me one or more of your kids is weird too.

I need the reassurance.

 

If you need more laughs, and I know that you do

hop over to MY LIFE AND KIDS where

I am linking up with them today for their Find the Funny party, #46.

 

If you are visiting, so glad you came.

Please come back.



Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

Yesterday, I joined a fun bunch of gals for a yearly cookie exchange.

8th Annual to be exact!

Check out TAKE 10 WITH TRICIA, who hosts this great event.

 

My husband told me about a caramel apple cookie that he tried at work and love,

so I of course, Googled.

I came across Michael's recipe at INSPIRED BY CHARM
who fell in love with it from the Cookie Photographer.

It looked yummy so I gave it a try! 

Imagine a cookie dough mixed with apple cider packets with a caramel cooked into the middle!

It is grab a glass-of-milk-good.

Try it for yourself.
It would also be a great fall cookie.
NOTE:  I modified a bit by sprinkling each cookie with sugar before baking.
More sugar is always better right?

P.S.  I did not win but the Hubs loved them.
I am not bitter ;)
Just imagine how awesome the other ones were.

Also, on a bad-mom note, I made a cookie that my two oldest can't have due to
their new expanders.  Whoops.



These Hooks Make Me Happy!

 

This house has a long closet in the laundry room

that I really wanted to turn into a drop zone/mud room,

since it is easily accessed from the garage.

 

The best part is, that it has doors so whenever the kids mess up my "organization"

I can just shut the door.

Score.

 

This is how we made it work for our family.

(Sorry the pictures aren't the best but space was tight so I am practically sitting on the utility tub to take these.)

 

 The Hubs hung three inexpensive wood strips from Ikea for a total of 15 hooks, at Hobbit/kid height.
This was much cheaper than buying individual hooks and Ikea had the best price
 (which I don't remember because I bought them 6 months ago.).

 There is an existing coat rack higher at adult height for our coats or laundry that needs to dry a bit more.

 The bins are left over from a bookshelf from Costco.  Each kid, plus mom, has one for their shoes.

In the back, we have two laundry baskets squeezed in there.

One for colors and one for whites.

 

I love this kind of stuff and the kids don't seem to mind either.

I am a total dork, and I don't care!

 

I will post in the future about how I keep track (or try to keep track) of 5 kids papers...

 

Anyone else love a good organization project?

Share, please.



Best Big Brother Ever!

I was trying to get the turkey in the oven for Thanksgiving

when Julia begged me to help put ponytails in her doll's hair.

No one was around...except Porter.

"Um, Porter.  Can you come help Julia do her doll's hair?" I ask.

Porter looks around for someone else and replies, "Uh, okay."

He walks over, awkwardly picks up a ponytail holder and less than confidently says,

"You want me to put this thing in her hair?"

And he did.

BEST BIG BROTHER EVER!



My Baby is 3!

  I can't believe it! Our baby is three!

  I love looking back at pictures and believe it or not, I am a little sad knowing that our family is complete

and that Maryn is no longer a baby.

 

  Maryn is so strong and has overcome so much.

She is so happy and resilent and nothing seems to stop her.

God has his hand on this girl.

Her smile can light up a room and her voice (the nice one) is so sweet to listen to.

Maryn is so smart and beautiful and she has taught me so much.

 

She taught me how to risk and love with everything I have even when our future together was uncertain.

She taught me how to fight for her when she needed me too.

She taught us, our other children, and our family and friends that love and committment have nothing to do with biology.

She taught me how to better serve the families and individuals I treat with special needs.

She showed me what my incredible husband is capable of.

She showed me the love in my children's hearts for others.

 

And because of Maryn, we were led to another love of our life, Julia!

Wow!  This kid has accomplished quite a bit in just few short years.

Watch out world!

Here comes Maryn. 

 

Here are a few pictures to enjoy of our sweet girl.

The first time the Hubs and I held her at the hospital!

The 1st Christmas together after only 3 days was so special!

 

The 1st smile.

This was taken in the hospital.  She is only 3 weeks old.

 

I can't believe how small she was.

 

This is her 1st birthday with cake and also as a Turkey!

 

 

Her 2nd Birthday!

 

And now, three years old and growing strong!

Her laugh makes me so very happy.

 

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Maryn!